Patent EP0969330A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7229318B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shieldless, high-speed electrical connectors
Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
•
Filing: 2006-01-05
•
Granted: 2007-06-12
•
Expires: 2026-01-05
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector that includes first and second linear arrays of electrical contacts is disclosed. The first linear array is arranged in a first pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts. The second linear array is arranged in a second pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts that is different from the first pattern. The signal contacts define differential signal pairs. The signal contacts in the first linear array are elongated along a direction along which the first linear array extends.
Inventors
- 👤 Clifford L. Winings
- 👤 Joseph B. Shuey
- 👤 Timothy A. Lemke
- 👤 Gregory A. Hull
- 👤 Stephen B. Smith
- 👤 Stefaan Hendrik Josef Sercu
- 👤 Timothy W. Houtz
- 👤 Steven E. Minich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:03
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R4/00; H01R4/58; H01R4/66; H01R12/00; H01R12/50; H01R12/51; H01R12/52; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/724; H01R13/00; H01R13/646; H01R13/6461; H01R13/6471; H01R13/6473; H01R13/6477; H01R29/00; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6585; H01R13/6586; H01R13/6587; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/941
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a first column of electrical contacts arranged in a first pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts; and a second column of electrical contacts arranged in a second pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts, wherein (i) the first pattern is different from the second pattern, (ii) each of the signal contacts is one of a respective broadside-coupled differential signal pair, (iii) the first column extends along a first direction, (iv) the signal contacts in the first column are elongated along the first direction, (v) the ground contacts in the first column are elongated along the first direction, thereby defining a respective broadside for each said ground contact, and (vi) each of the ground contacts is positioned broadside-to-broadside with another ground contact that is elongated along the first direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a first column of electrical contacts arranged in a first pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts; and a second column of electrical contacts arranged in a second pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts, wherein (i) the first pattern is different from the second pattern, (ii) each of the signal contacts is one of a respective broadside-coupled differential signal pair, (iii) the first column extends along a first direction, (iv) the signal contacts in the first column are elongated along the first direction, (v) the ground contacts in the first column are elongated along the first direction, thereby defining a respective broadside for each said ground contact, and (vi) each of the ground contacts is positioned broadside-to-broadside with another ground contact that is elongated along the first direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein a first of the differential signal pairs comprises first and second signal contacts, each of said first and second signal contacts has a cross-section defining a respective edge and a respective broadside, and the first and second signal contacts are positioned broadside-to-broadside.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the connector is devoid of shields between the first and second columns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the edge of the first signal contact defines a length, and the broadside of the first signal contact defines a second length that is at least twice the length defined by the edge thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second signal contacts terminates with a respective fusible mounting element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second signal contacts is a blade contact.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the second column of electrical contacts is staggered relative to the first column of electrical contacts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the second column of electrical contacts is staggered by a row pitch or less relative to the first column of electrical contacts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , comprising a first leadframe assembly and second leadframe assembly adjacent to the first leadframe assembly, wherein the first column is positioned along the first leadframe assembly and the second column is positioned along the second leadframe assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , having a row pitch of about 1.4 mm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , having a column pitch of about 2.0 mm or less.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , having a card pitch of about 25 mm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is a right-angle connector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , having a contact density of about 63 . 5 mated signal pairs per linear inch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , having a contact density of more than about 63.5 mated signal pairs per linear inch.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein a second of the differential signal pairs comprises third and fourth signal contacts, and wherein the first signal contact is more tightly electrically coupled to the second signal contact than it is to either of the third or fourth signal contacts.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electrical connector of claim 16 , wherein the second differential signal pair is offset with respect to the first differential signal pair in a direction along which the second column of electrical contacts extends.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electrical connector of claim 16 , wherein the second differential signal pair is offset by a row pitch or less, with respect to the first differential signal pair, in a direction along which the second column of electrical contacts extends.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the first and second signal contacts define a gap between the broadsides thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The electrical connector of claim 16 , wherein a differential signal in the first differential signal pair produces an electric field having a first electric field strength in the gap and a second electric field strength near the second differential signal pair, wherein the second electric field strength is lower than the first electric field strength.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 19 , further comprising a dielectric material disposed between the broadsides of the first and second signal contacts.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The electrical connector of claim 21 , wherein the dielectric material is air.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 , further comprising a dielectric base having a mate surface and a mount surface, wherein at least one of the ground contacts extends farther from the mate surface of the dielectric base than does either of the first or second signal contacts.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The electrical connector of claim 23 , wherein the dielectric base defines a hole transverse to the first direction at a center portion of the dielectric base and intermediate portions of each of the first and second signal contacts are exposed to air.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector of claim 23 , wherein the dielectric base defines respective contact through-holes for each of the first and second signal contacts.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 , further comprising a housing though which the contacts extend.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical connector of claim 26 , wherein the housing is filled at least in part with a dielectric material that electrically insulates the contacts.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The electrical connector of claim 24 , wherein the dielectric material is air.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a first row of electrical contacts arranged in a first pattern of signal contacts; and a second row of electrical contacts arranged in a second pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts, wherein (i) the first pattern is different from the second pattern, (ii) the signal contacts define broadside-coupled differential signal pairs, (iii) the first row extends along a first direction, and (iv) the contacts are elongated along a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a first row of electrical contacts arranged in a first pattern of signal contacts; and a second row of electrical contacts arranged in a second pattern of signal contacts and ground contacts, wherein (i) the first pattern is different from the second pattern, (ii) the signal contacts define broadside-coupled differential signal pairs, (iii) the first row extends along a first direction, and (iv) the contacts are elongated along a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector of claim 29 , wherein the connector is devoid of shields between the first and second rows.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electrical connector of claim 29 , wherein the connector is a right-angle connector.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electrical connector of claim 29 , wherein a first of the differential signal pairs comprises first and second signal contacts, each of said first and second signal contacts has a cross-section defining a respective edge and a respective broadside, and the first and second signal contacts are positioned broadside-to-broadside.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 32 , wherein each of the first and second signal contacts terminates with a respective fusible mounting element.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector of claim 32 , wherein each of the first and second signal contacts is a blade contact.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electrical connector of claim 32 , wherein a second of the differential signal pairs comprises third and fourth signal contacts, and wherein the first signal contact is more tightly electrically coupled to the second signal contact than it is to either of the third or fourth signal contacts.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector of claim 35 , wherein the first and second signal contacts define a gap between the broadsides thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
56 words
The electrical connector of claim 36 , wherein a differential signal in the first differential signal pair produces an electric field having a first electric field strength in the gap and a second electric field strength near the second differential signal pair, wherein the second electric field strength is lower than the first electric field strength.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 36 , further comprising a dielectric material disposed between the broadsides of the first and second signal contacts.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
13 words
The electrical connector of claim 38 , wherein the dielectric material is air.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
93 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a first array of electrical contacts arranged in a first pattern of broadside-coupled differential signal pairs and ground contacts; and a second array of electrical contacts arranged in a second pattern of broadside-coupled differential signal pairs and ground contacts, wherein (i) the first pattern is different from the second pattern, (ii) the first array extends along a first direction, (iii) the connector is devoid of shields between the first array and the second array, and (iv) the signal contacts in the first array are elongated along the first direction.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
93 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a first array of electrical contacts arranged in a first pattern of broadside-coupled differential signal pairs and ground contacts; and a second array of electrical contacts arranged in a second pattern of broadside-coupled differential signal pairs and ground contacts, wherein (i) the first pattern is different from the second pattern, (ii) the first array extends along a first direction, (iii) the connector is devoid of shields between the first array and the second array, and (iv) the signal contacts in the first array are elongated along the first direction.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector of claim 40 , wherein the connector is devoid of shields between the first and second arrays.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical connector of claim 40 , comprising a first leadframe assembly and second leadframe assembly adjacent to the first leadframe assembly, wherein the first array is positioned along the leadframe assemblies.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electrical connector of claim 40 , wherein the connector is a right-angle connector.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electrical connector of claim 40 , wherein a first of the differential signal pairs comprises first and second signal contacts, each of said first and second signal contacts has a cross-section defining a respective edge and a respective broadside, and the first and second signal contacts are positioned broadside-to-broadside.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electrical connector of claim 44 , wherein the edge of the first signal contact defines a length, and the broadside of the first signal contact defines a second length that is at least twice the length defined by the edge thereof.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 44 , wherein each of the first and second signal contacts terminates with a respective fusible mounting element.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector of claim 44 , wherein each of the first and second signal contacts is a blade contact.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electrical connector of claim 44 , wherein a second of the differential signal pairs comprises third and fourth signal contacts, and wherein the first signal contact is more tightly electrically coupled to the second signal contact than it is to either of the third or fourth signal contacts.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector of claim 48 , wherein the first and second signal contacts define a gap between the broadsides thereof.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
56 words
The electrical connector of claim 49 , wherein a differential signal in the first differential signal pair produces an electric field having a first electric field strength in the gap and a second electric field strength near the second differential signal pair, wherein the second electric field strength is lower than the first electric field strength.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connector of claim 49 , further comprising a dielectric material disposed between the broadsides of the first and second signal contacts.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
13 words
The electrical connector of claim 51 , wherein the dielectric material is air.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-06-11 | 2010-12-11 | 2011-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-06-11 | 2014-12-11 | 2015-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-06-11 | 2018-12-11 | 2019-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |